OT - Greatest Rap Albums
Your list of greatest rap albums. I'll start...
Okay, a warning. I'm old school. I remember hearing the Sugar Hill Gang on the radio. I'm not much about the mumbling into the mic the kids do nowadays. I don't know who the fuck Travis Scott is, and I'm pretty sure that Takeshi 69 video I saw once was an actual nightmare and not a real thing. That being said:
1. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
Accept no substitutes. This makes my top five albums regardless of genre. Chuck D's lyrics, his flow--the power of his voice as an musical instrument are still unmatched. He introduced a political militance to hip hop, when the lyrics had mostly been devoted to rocking the party and keeping booties shaking. The Bomb Squad brought a heavy element of dissonance that turned a lot of listeners off. Not me, though--I'm so into dissonance that I've got about five Sonic Youth albums. There's the contrast between Flava Flav bouncing off the walls and the S1Ws keeping it on lock-down. Every cut on the this album holds up as a classic in it's own right.
2. The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde
There are many contenders for this spot, and, truthfully, I would've placed Amerikkka's Most Wanted by Ice Cube here up until a few years ago, but that album has not aged well. The Pharcyde are worthy here though. Every cut flashes a different style but each is great in its own way. The lyricism is simply brilliant throughout, and the songs sum as a great illustration of the rich variety of styles before MTV codified gangsta and bling as the ONLY forms. This is basically album about middle class Black kids being kids. I only wish the Pharcyde had more than two albums in them.
3. Nas - Illmatic
This could've been at two. A perfect match of brilliant lyrical flow and killer beats. This album introduced the use of jazz in hip hop, which traces rap back to the traditions of beat poetry, the Last Poets, and Gil Scott-Heron. This album is iconic for a reason.
4. Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
A toss-up for me here between their eponymous first album or this one. Gotta go with Black Sunday though for "Insane in the Brain" and "Break 'Em Off Some." Propulsive driving power is the name of game here. These are songs that make you want to wreck shit...but in a, um, good way. B-Real and Sen Dog play off each other brilliantly, and the use of Latin instruments and rhythms was and is revolutionary.
5. The Roots - Things Fall Apart
This could've been higher. It's The Roots, man. This is the album on the list you're most likely listening to with your parents or your kids, or you're throwing on at the cook-out. Consciousness rap over a live band mixing jazz and soul--it's like punk once they finally learned how to play their instruments--it's not as raw and maybe you can't slam dance to it anymore, but, damn, is it great.
6. MC 900 Ft. Jesus - Hell with the Lid Off
A curve ball for y'all: Like the Pharcyde, a relatively forgotten artist, this album, a collaboration with D.J. Zero has all. It's funny, shocking, twisted sometimes all at once. I really love the minimalist beats which mix in elements of electronica to great effect.
7. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy - Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury
There's a good chance you've never heard of this album, but that's okay. Google it now! Michael Franti still performs with Spearhead, but this album was groundbreaking. Wildly kinetic beats paired with political lyrics that directly confront and indict commericialism and conspicuous consumption. Franti has definitely read Walter Benjamin.
8. Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
Oh yeah, they have to be on here. Everybody's got a favorite Beastie Boys album, and this one is mine. Come on, son. We're talking, "Sure Shot," Root Down," "Sabotage," "Flute Loop," "Bodhisattva Vow." So, so good throughout.
9. Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
Look, don't scoff. Just sit down, clear your mind, and listen to the whole thing. You'll see I'm right. Gangsta's Paradise is a like Mack Daddy by Sir Mix-a-Lot in that way. Both albums are known for a singular hit but are actually great throughout with many songs that are better than the singular hit.
10. KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap
The brotha is fierce. The brotha is uncompromising. KRS is a true O.G. Picking a favorite KRS album is a challenge. There's his work with Scott LaRock as Boogie Down Productions then there's the extensive solo career after his tragic death. The classic cuts on this one win out: "Outta Here" is one a the great hip cuts of all.
Alright, that's my list. There are obviously big names left off here that would make a longer list of albums or a list of standalone songs. There's no Run-D.M.C. though I can and have spent hours listening to "It's Tricky," or "Mary, Mary" on repeat. There's nothing by Dre or Snoop though would say the same of "Deep Cover." Anyway...what's your list?
August 13th, 2022 at 7:10 PM ^
Yeah bones 99 and creeping are both right up there. DMX Dark and Hell is Hot was another classic. Like seeing an FBI reference.
Doesn’t belong on this list or anything and it’s hard to think of Ja as anything but Ja but I still contest VVV was a tight album. The tracks with Sermon and Jay, DMX are both all time classics
August 13th, 2022 at 6:19 PM ^
Insert "crickets chirping" gif.
August 13th, 2022 at 6:29 PM ^
Love that Cypress Hill is mentioned but I would pick III (Temples of Boom) as the masterpiece.
Also, has no one mentioned Ironman by Ghostface Killah?
August 13th, 2022 at 6:31 PM ^
Though I had heard Rapper's Delight, serious rap was still new to me when I started teaching high school in Boston, fresh out of the UM, and got my kids writing by getting them to do rap lyrics in '88. We made our own rap/reggae/dancehall version of the Black folk tale/song Stagolee--listening to and reading multiple versions in song and story--and a video of it, with some of the other teachers on instruments, which is still floating around somewhere. . . I was so sure we listened to Public Enemy, but then went and looked and saw it came out in 88; I guess that works, if we were working on the video in Spring 89. . .
EDIT: Familiar with four of these from back in the day. But a ton of recordings to check out here, I appreciate the reccs.
August 13th, 2022 at 6:52 PM ^
Ready to Die and Life After Death at the top obviously.
All Eyes on Me, 36 chambers , Marshal/Shady LPs, Ilmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Aquemini, Both Chronics and DoggyStyle, Get in Where You Fit In, The Imfamous, and Binary Star’s Masters of The Universe is pretty much your elite tier of the elite tier. I’m sure I’m leaving out a few but that’s your hip hop Mecca. 90’s hip hop is undeniable. I’d love to put a Apathy album in there but don’t feel he’s but out that 1 great album. JMT Violent by Design boarderline
August 13th, 2022 at 10:10 PM ^
I feel like I should really push Masters of the Universe to other hip hop heads who are not familiar. It is such an amazing album from start to finish. Reality Check right off the bat is just raw with both guys tearing it up lyrically. Sling Blade , Binary Shuffle, KGB , New HIp Hop, Honest Expression all great songs and that doesn’t even get into Glenn Close and Why the Caged Bird Sings to amazingly unique and ingenious tracks. If I had to put an album in a time capsule and say this is what true raw uncut hip hop was I think I mite use this Master Piece.
Styles of Beyond’s 2000 Fold another great one to check out
August 13th, 2022 at 7:58 PM ^
"You are now listening to Run the Jewels 3"
Tons of classics ITT, but no one has listed, imo, the best rap album of the last 5 years.
Killer Mike and El-P needed each other to take their careers to the next level and I'm so glad they did. Imo RTJ3 is their best work but I love all their albums.
August 13th, 2022 at 8:48 PM ^
> Not picking Meow the Jewels
But actually all of RTJs albums are bangers. I like 2 the most, but I feel like I could make a strong argument for any of them depending on my mood.
August 13th, 2022 at 8:27 PM ^
run dmc forever
and who can forget roxanne roxanne
August 13th, 2022 at 8:42 PM ^
These two are why Run-D.M.C are on my hip hop Mount Rushmore:
August 13th, 2022 at 8:29 PM ^
Vanilla Ice is Back
August 13th, 2022 at 9:03 PM ^
Liquid Swords
August 13th, 2022 at 10:22 PM ^
How do you not have a single 2Pac album on this list?
August 13th, 2022 at 10:27 PM ^
You don’t have “Ready to Die” in the top 10 rap Albums of all time? Seriously?
Also, Public Enemy’s best album is “Fear of a Black planet.”
”Illmatic” is a strong number 3.
“Enter the Wu Tang?” Nothing?
August 13th, 2022 at 10:51 PM ^
I like the RAP from the 90s. I guess you could call it classic RAP!
Cypress Hill: Black Sunday.
Public Enemy: Fear of a black planet.
Dr. Dre: The Chronic.
Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang.
Tupac Shakur - All Eyez on me.
Just to name a few.
August 13th, 2022 at 11:19 PM ^
Some that are great that I haven't seen mentioned:
Atmosphere - Lucy Ford or Life Gives You Lemons
Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow
Watsky - X Infinity
Lupe - Lasers
Spose - Peter Sparker
August 14th, 2022 at 6:21 PM ^
Blazing Arrow is a fantastic choice. The album was recorded in my friend Harley White’s basement. He’s a prominent bassist in the Sacramento area.
August 14th, 2022 at 12:34 AM ^
Hell On Earth - Mobb Deep
The Infamous - Mobb Deep
August 14th, 2022 at 1:17 AM ^
Havent seen these from my early 90s days
Ice T - Original Gangster ("Midnight" & "Mind over Matter" are so good)
Too $hort - Life Is...
Ton Loc - Loc'd After Dark (an elementary school fav)
August 14th, 2022 at 9:15 AM ^
Public Enemy--It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back
De La Soul--Three Feet High and Rising
Kanye West--Graduation
EPMD--Strictly Business
Outcast--Stankonia
August 14th, 2022 at 10:40 AM ^
The Blueprint
Reasonable Doubt
The Black Album
illmatic
Ready to Die
Life After Death
All Eyez On Me
Carter II
The Marshall Mathers LP
The Eminem Show
The College Dropout
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Get Rich Or Die Tryin
Thug Motivation 101
It's Dark And Hell Is Hot
The Score
Section.80
Good Kid, MAAD City
DAMN
2014 Forest Hills Drive
Take Care
ASTROWORLD
The Infamous
Crenshaw
Food & Liqour
The Chronic
The Documentary
Word of Mouf
ATLeins
Low End Theory
Midnight Mauraders
Man In The Moon: III
More About Nothing
Paid In Full
Then I have twice as many of albums that I just love.
Oh...and if you really want to start an argument, here's my top 25 (not favorite, top 25).
1. Jay-Z
2. Notorious B.I.G.
3. Eminem
4. Tupac
5. Lil' Wayne
6. Kendrick Lamar
7. Nas
8. Kanye West
9. Drake
10. Rakim
11. Andre 3000
12. J. Cole
13. Wu-Tang Clan
14. Snoop Dogg
15. T.I.
16. 50 Cent
17. Ludacris
18. DMX
19. Ice Cube
20. Busta Rhymes
21. Scarface
22. Lauryn Hill
23. LL Cool J
24. Mos Def
25. Nicki Minaj
August 14th, 2022 at 10:54 PM ^
My FAVORITES (not best)...using these same artists.
FAVORITES
1. Jay-Z
2. J. Cole
3. Notorious B.I.G.
4. Eminem
5. Kendrick Lamar
6. Drake
7. Andre 3000
8. Lil Wayne
9. Kanye West
10. Nas
11. Tupac
12. Rakim
13. Ludacris
14. T.I.
15. DMX
16. 50 Cent
17. Lauryn Hill
18. Mos Def
19. Wu-Tang Clan
20. Busta Rhymes
21. LL Cool J
22. Nicki Minaj
23. Snoop Dogg
24. Ice Cube
25. Scarface
...that said, Wale, Big Sean, Fabolous, Pusha T, Jadakiss, Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, and maybe Travis Scott would all be on this list *and top 20*.
August 14th, 2022 at 6:17 PM ^
So I recently decided to go through the top 500 albums of all-time, according to the 2020 rolling stone survey. I'm only up to number 24 (Beatles - Sgt Pepper), but the rap albums that come before it are:
10. Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Lauryn Hill) - liked it musically, creative
15. It takes a nation of millions to hold us back (Public Enemy) - I listened to this in high school and it blew my mind.
17. My beautiful dark twisted fantasy (Kanye West) - first time listening to Kanye. Hated it, some interesting things musically and creatively, but couldn't relate to it thematically and his persona doesn't ring true b/c I know he grew up in a diverse, well-to-do suburb of Chicago. Maybe some of my bias with him comes through in my listening, who knows.
19. To pimp a butterfly (Kendrick Lamar) - like Kanye, he did some really interesting things musically and creatively, but it didn't resonate at all otherwise.
22. Ready to die (Notorious B.I.G) - didn't really enjoy it. Felt like it was trying to be gratuitous and provocative, trying to shout that "I'm real." Too over the top for me.
I haven't gotten to them yet, but the rest in the top 50:
27. Enter the Wu-Tang (Wu-Tang Clan)
37. The Chronic (Dr. Dre)
43. The Low End Theory (A Tribe Called Quest)
44. Ill-matic (Nas)
49. Aquemini (Outkast)
50. The blueprint (Jay-Z)
August 14th, 2022 at 6:40 PM ^
FWIW, you’d have had a much easier time going through the hip hop albums on Rolling Stone’s original 500 greatest list from 2003, since the top 100 only had one rap album (#48: It Takes A Nation of Millions). Times have changed.
I will say that To Pimp A Butterfly, for me as a Black man in recovery from addiction, has truly resonant themes and was, in my and many others’ opinion, the most socially relevant hip hop album of the last decade.
August 14th, 2022 at 7:27 PM ^
TPAB, IMO, isn't there with some of his other work. But I was never a p-funk kind of guy either, so I struggle with it.
But you hit it, socially and culturally? It's one of the most important albums (genre be damned), EVER. Absolutely incredible, artistically.
August 14th, 2022 at 7:37 PM ^
illmatic and Blueprint are criminally underrated on that list.
illmatic, is a perfect rap album, period. Not only is it the perfect rap album, IMO, it's the best rap album of all time.
Blueprint isn't far behind. It is an INCREDIBLE album, top to bottom.
Really surprised that you didn't like MBDTF. Along with College Dropout, that's his best work. However, it doesn't stand the test of time like College Dropout...especially if you have paid attention to Kanye over the past 10 years.
The Chronic is like illmatic for the west coast. 1. It should he a Dre and Snoop album. But it's very much the west coasts Kobe to illmatics Jordan.
illmatic puts you in the NYC projects and doesn't let you leave until the album is done. The Chronic puts you in a drop top in Compton, Long Beach, or Crenshaw. They are both soundtracks.
In many ways Eminem's first 3 albums were the soundtrack to the life of kids in the midwest. None of them hold up like they did...but it was definitely a vibe and took you too a place that never had a voice in rap.
Everything pre-Rakim is too elementary rap for me. It hadn't evolved to its Golden Era. It's like 70s NBA basketball. There are great, historical players...but pro basketball wasn't pro basketball until the 80s and into the 90s. Appreciate the contribution, influence and the message, but in terms of objective quality? Lacking.
August 14th, 2022 at 7:36 PM ^
Good Kid M.A.A.D. City told a story from front to back that may never be replicated. Just a breath of fresh air there.
August 14th, 2022 at 7:40 PM ^
Very much like illmatic or the Chronic in that regard.
As I just mentioned...those are all soundtracks.
GKMC, could and probably should he a movie.
illmatic was basically Belly. Chronic was Friday and Boyz N The Hood (which was released before the Chronic).
GKMC, sets a scene and is like a rapping audio book. It's incredible.
August 14th, 2022 at 9:43 PM ^
The fact no one mentioned Outkast’s Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is insane.
August 14th, 2022 at 10:41 PM ^
Eh, don't think it's a complete album, IMO. It has GREAT songs though.
For me, you can't have skips and be on the list. That's pretty much rule #1 for me. I'll give you one, after that...you can no longer be a classic.
Truth be told, Outkast doesn't really have anything without skips.
ATLeins might be the closest thing.
August 15th, 2022 at 9:46 AM ^
The influence of that record is insane. It came out at a time when the only "rap" albums coming out of ATL was basically booty/twerk music, and it came out when the industry was basically only East Coast/West Coast.
Without that album there is no Dungeon Family, Goodie Mob, T.I., Lil John, etc.
For me, it's one of the greatest.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:16 PM ^
How could you skip any of these:
Digital Underground - Sex Packets
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Run DMC - Raising Hell
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
August 15th, 2022 at 7:09 PM ^
Anyone who lists an OutKast album and it's not ATLiens should reevaluate some of their life choices (edit: I'll allow Southernplayalistic)
August 15th, 2022 at 9:54 PM ^
I'm sure you all are nice people, but you are all wrong. The correct answer is Rah Digga's Dirty Harriet.